


Like Phantoms, Forever

by notsobsad



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: AU, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26665201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notsobsad/pseuds/notsobsad
Summary: The four of them smile looking at each other and they realize that here they are, back together, after all this time. And it feels like there was no fight at all, like everything is back in its right place.
Kudos: 3





	Like Phantoms, Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Навечно, как призраки](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/691426) by notsobsad. 



> Dedicated to MCR's reunion. Killjoys never die!

A cold November has already hovered in the air. Gerard will put it down like this: “A cold November hovered in the air”. Kids were running outside on the winter freshness of good old Belleville, trick-or-treating from house to house. Every one wearing costumes, not like it used to be back at the days, of course. That was a whole different thing. Gerard will write it down: “…not the same anymore”.

He’s sitting at the window, holding a pan, with a notebook on his lap. Doodling lines nobody understands anymore. Quite macabre and even desperate, too intimate but at the same time he’d want to share it with the world – to find somebody alike, to talk, to confess.

Quite, hesitant steps. He’s not turning around because he already knows it’s Mikey approaches him from behind.

“It’s Frank’s birthday,” - says his brother.

“Yeah,” - sighs Gerard, and they keep silent for a moment.

Mikey’s presence gives solace, warmth and comfort. Just like that, without doing a thing. He’s right here and that’s enough to make you feel better. Gerard will write: “Tat’s plenty”. But later. Right now he’s going to put aside his notebook and a pan, turn around and talk to his brother.

“Will we go to the party?”

Gerard shrugs. Nothing stops them, they can do whatever, but… How do they say it, be careful what you wish for?

“The guys will be there,” - he answers uncertainly.

Mikey nods. He nods like everything is so simple. He looks like he has already decided for himself.

“The guys think the same way, you know? And it doesn’t make this any easier.”

Right as always. Gerard has already thought about it. It’s time to sort things out, to clear the air, to apologize. You can’t leave it like this. Win or lose, all or nothing, now or never.

“And what would that look like? What would we say?”

“We’re gonna wish Frank happy birthday.”

“You think everything’s so easy, ha?” – Gerard sniffs and turns away.

The brother won’t chill. He’s certain in what he’s doing, and yet his confidence has never let them down. Actually, Gerard didn’t mind the idea at all. He resisted it just for the sake of resisting, meanwhile thinking about things they could say in person. How do you fit the unsaid and misunderstood in a couple of words? What if he won’t even be listened to? What if the four of them won’t even get together in the same room? They’ll see each other and run in opposite directions like cockroaches.

“Well because everything _is_ so easy," - answers Mikey in a smooth voice. – "Let’s go," - he persuades. – "It’s not good to forget your friends." – After a short pause he adds: - "It’s Frank’s birthday.”

Gerard breathes out, trying to brace himself. He turns back to his brother and looks at him questioningly. Mikey needs no words to understand what was meant by this stare.

“We’ll give him a present.”

“And what would it be?”

The younger one paused for a minute. He stared at the room, looking for something to latch on. But then something changes in his eyes, something sparkles, reflecting on his glasses like in anime. His glance goes to Gerard, he hesitates for a bit, frowning and overthinking his revelation.

“His favorite band’s CD.”

Gerard was confused, because Frank had way too many favorite bands. Black Flag, Misfits, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and many, many-many others.

“The one that broke up?” – he specifies.

“The one that reunited.”

Mikey sounds determined and looks determined, and actually it seems like he’s been sitting on it for hours, thoroughly thinking this over and over, calculating every step and weighting every word. Because you don’t dump your friends like this, you don’t forsake your friends like this.

“You mean…you mean those demos?” – asks Gerard to make sure, stammering as if he was out of the air.

“We never gave them the CD," - says Mikey instead of a straight answer. And with this he walks out, apparently into his room. To get the present.

Gerard sits on the chair and stares into space. Oh wow, how could it be they haven’t listened to their own record. It feels like it’s been four eternities since that – one for each. And they have to do something about it. He’ll write down: “Four eternities”.

***

Half past eight, the Ways are standing outside the house where the Halloween party is held. The street was full of music and laughter coming from the inside. The brothers looked at each other.

“What if they’re not here?” – asks Gerard.

“Well they should be here.” – Mikey shrugs, he sounds less confident than back at home when he suggested this affair.

The affair was great, actually, even the greatest, but it’s not an easy thing to do. The boys enter the house and they get into the atmosphere of someone else’s celebration.

Jack-o-lanterns, garlands and lights hung everywhere, snacks and teenagers in demonic costumes all over the place. The Ways were the only ones who didn’t dress up, they came here wearing their usual clothes, resembling their usual selves. They were out of place and it wasn’t their party, but nobody paid attention to it.

In the mean time the brothers have found their friends. Or rather those who they used to call their friends.

“It’s them,” – Mikey points to the center of the room.

Frank and Ray, surrounded by their mutual acquaintances. The boys looked like there were no problems between them. Like there was nothing at all between them. As if two strangers has met in a company of buddies. They were introduced to each other, they shook hands, they even smiled to each other. And that’s all.

Anyway, their eyes met. And before any of them could back off, Mikey grabbed Gerard by the arm and rushed to the guys he never wanted to lose. Apparently they were motivated by the same thing and that’s why they stayed put meanwhile the company they belonged to a moment ago has gone somewhere, as if they sensed the moment was very important and it’s better to leave those four to each other.

“Hi,” – Gerard was the first to talk.

Ray and Frank locked eyes and just nodded instead of an answer. Mikey hasn’t said anything too. They kept silent for a bit, looking at each other as if they haven’t seen each other for ages. Well it wasn’t that far from reality. When the hesitation became too obvious, the younger Way, not even trying to be unnoticed, shoved Gerard with his elbow, encouraging for an action.

“Frank," - his voice dropped. – "Happy Birthday."

Gerard handed him a CD, his eyes kept darting from the birthday boy to Ray. Their faces has changed the second they got a look at the cover. Iero took his present hesitantly.

“Well..?” – he asked. No one wishes you happy birthday like that. No one wishes you happy Halloween like that either. People don’t congratulate each other this way. This way they apologize.

“It’s our demos, right?” – says Ray, nodding to himself.

Mikey smiles for the first time in days. And, seeing Mikey smiling, others smile too. Because he’s like a little brother to everyone. And Ray is the cleverest among them. And Frank is the most energetic. And Gerard makes up stories, he’s a dreamer. The four of them smile looking at each other and they realize that here they are, back together, after all this time, and it feels like there was no fight at all, like everything is back in its right place.

“Like Phantoms, forever," – reads Frank from the cover. – "Have you listened to it?”

The Ways shake their heads ‘no’. Ray scoffs.

“You do know we’re idiots, right?” – Words turn into a smile on his face, the glow of the lanterns reflects in his eyes but it looks like his inner light.

“I told Gerard,” – Mikey nods.

“You told me nothing!” – he objects.

“I told you!" – insists the younger one. – "You could read it in my eyes.”

Gerard rolls his eyes, and Iero can’t hold it anymore, he bursts into this special frank-style laughter. Then he calms down and they stare at each other again but this time it’s different, even nostalgic in a way.

“So?” – finally asks Frank.

“Mikey suggested to give you the CD of your favorite band,” – says Gerard.

“Of the one that reunited,” – continues Mikey as if they have practiced the lines.

“Reunited, ha?” – asks Frank.

“Yeah…” – it sounds more like a question, but it’s a good start anyway.

The four of them exchange glances. And then something like soul connection happens, because they understand each other without a word.

“Anyway, I missed you guys,” – confesses Ray, and then Iero sights lightly.

“Dude, me too!" – he shouts, waving his arms and getting into his usual enthusiastic self. – "You have no idea!”

They’re back together, right here right now. Like Phantoms, forever. Everything will be sorted, bitterness will fade, quarrels will die down. Because you don’t forget you friends, you don’t leave them behind.


End file.
